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Because Humor Doesn’t Come with a User’s Guide
The Humor Professionals
Explore the Practical and Therapeutic Benefits of Humor
You know what we’re talking about: laughter feels great! Sometimes moments of humor and laughter can almost feel like a magical, euphoric experience. At AATH, we study the science behind those experiences and how we can intentionally apply humor to make people’s lives better.
Did you know that humor’s innumerable health benefits include significant stress reduction, greater pain tolerance increased blood flow, and enhanced immune function? Plus, it has a wealth of other benefits, such as improved memory retention, enhanced trust, credibility, connection, and empathy. It even improves memory retention—did we already mention that one? ;)
If humor’s so amazing, shouldn’t we all be trying to work more of it into our lives? That’s where AATH comes in.
We enhance the health, well-being, and performance of people, organizations, and communities through humor.
About AATH & Highlights
from the 2019 Conference
Learn more about who we are and what we do—and check out some clips from our 2019 conference in Chicago!
Laughter Exercises for
Kidney Dialysis Patients
Our very own Teena Miller teamed up with Satellite Health to implement the nation’s first laughter therapy program for hemodialysis.
Fun fact: Teena’s a Humor Academy student, as well!
TEDx Talk: Leading with Laughter: The Power of Humor in Leadership
AATH Past President Paul Osincup’s TEDx Talk explains why the best leaders don’t take themselves too seriously.
Be part of the humor revolution!
Did you know every time someone sponsors or donates to AATH, a child gets uncontrollable giggles? Ok, our researchers haven’t confirmed that yet, but we do bring kids a lot of smiles. From laughter exercises for refugee children in Nigeria to clown and improv performances in pediatric hospitals, our members bring the benefits of humor to kids, seniors, and those affected with adultitis. Bottom line: we help improve the lives of people of all ages, all over the world, through our services and classes. So when you sponsor or donate to AATH, you’re not only gaining a tax deduction (yep, we’re a nonprofit), you’re spreading humor on a truly global scale.
Or maybe you want to infuse your own life with more humor. Join AATH and become part of an inclusive community of professionals from a wide array of industries, learning from one another about using humor to positively influence health and human performance. Whether you suffer from chronic seriousness and want to develop more humor habits, or you want to help others experience the power of humor, AATH is the place for you. Laughter guaranteed.
A doctor, an engineer, and a comedian walk into a bar…
Chances are it was it was during one of our many evening events at our yearly conference. Besides the extracurricular mingling, the best thing about AATH is our multitude of backgrounds and professional experiences. We have members from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia! Six continents down, one to go. (If you’re a penguin from Antarctica, hit us up!) But there’s one thing we all have in common: we know without a doubt that #HumorHelps.
Humor as a Personal Wellness Strategy
Some of our members find AATH because they recognize humor as an integral part of their own healing process or personal journey. From cancer diagnoses to extreme anxiety—and even tragic losses—people find the strategies, humor, and support of the AATH community to be a catalyst to developing their own resilience.
The Professional Application of Humor
Much of our membership consists of professionals who use (or want to learn to use) humor in their work to achieve a positive outcome. We have counselors and psychotherapists using humor as a treatment modality. There are members who are motivational speakers and consultant trainers who focus on humor as a tool for increased performance and decreased stress. We also have nurses and doctors earning CEU and CME credits who use or oversee humor therapy in their hospitals. Certified laughter leaders and laughter yoga practitioners come to learn new techniques, as well as the latest neuroscience and psychological research about laughter. Business and nonprofit leaders looking for innovative ways to boost morale, increase their influence, or create dynamic teams also join AATH.
The Science of Humor
Our humor professionals couldn’t use evidence-based humor strategies without the evidence. This is where our researchers come in. An integral part of AATH is the research that gives credibility to comedy. We have member researchers from Harvard, Johns Hopkins University, Loma Linda University, UCLA, The American Institute of Stress, and many others. At our annual conference, researchers and scholars share their findings on how humor improves the human experience.
Lieutenant Commander Chip Lutz
United States Navy (Retired)
“As a professional speaker and trainer, AATH is the one conference I go to where I know I’ll leave with new strategies to share with my own audiences.”
AATH Leadership
Jennifer Keith, CHP
President
Todd Hart, CHP
Secretary
Joyce Saltman, CHP
Treasurer
Paul Osincup, CHP
Past President
Mallori DeSalle, MA, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, MATS, CPS, CHP
Director at Large
Linda Gingold Seaman, CHP
Director at Large
Jana Greco, CHP
Director at Large
Patrick Harris
Director at Large
Sporty King, CHP
Humor Academy Liaison
Angie Robinson, MSW, CLYT, CHP
Director at Large
Debra Norwood
Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Sue Stevenson, CHP
Director at Large
Michele St.Clair
Executive Director
2021 AATH Award Recipients
Doug Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award
Debra Joy Hart, CHP
Esther Hyatt Spirit of AATH
Mallori DeSalle, CHP
Humor Academy Making a Difference Award
Angie Robinson, CHP
Humor Academy Notable Newbie Award
Mike Cundall
Zoom Master Award
Jennifer Keith, CHP
Zoom Master Award
Jim-Bob Williams, CHP
The AATH Award winners have all demonstrated an ongoing commitment to—or have made a considerable contribution of knowledge to—AATH or the field of applied humor. As a volunteer nonprofit organization, we could not function without the dedication of humor professionals like these, so to say “Thank You,” we’ve posted their pictures on the Internet!
Congratulations to all of the 2019 AATH Award recipients! Take a screen shot, copy the link, and brag to your friends—you deserve it!
Thank You To Our Sponsors
We are a volunteer-driven, not-for profit (501c3) association, and we are serious about humor!